Health
FG Donates Free Anthrax Vaccine Doses to Lagos
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), has donated 50,000 free doses of Anthrax vaccines to the Lagos State Government (LASG) to mitigate the spread of the Anthrax Disease to animals and humans and ensure the safety of the livestock sub-sector.
Speaking during the courtesy visit to the state’s Ministry of Agriculture recently, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, represented by the Deputy Director of Veterinary and Pests Control Services, Dr Abdulkareem Durosinlorun, said that donation of the vaccines would fast track the vaccination.
He stated that anthrax, an infectious zoonosis disease caused by bacteria, affects both domestic and wild animals and can also affect humans, especially those working closely with infected animals.
He pointed out that the bacteria, which exist as spores, can be found in the soil, wool, or hair of infected animals.
He added that animals can be infected when they breathe in or ingest spores in contaminated soil, plant, or water. And humans can get it when they inhale or breathe in the spores, eat contaminated meat, or come in contact with the skin through wounds or cuts while handling a sick or dead anthrax-infected animal.
Dr Umakhihe appealed to the Lagos state government for robust public awareness and sensitization engagement among stakeholders towards prevention and control of the disease in the state.
In his words, “The essence of our visit is to create awareness and sensitization among stakeholders in the prevention and control of disease in Nigeria.
“We have also provided 50,000 free dosages of the Anthrax vaccine to the state in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.
“The cattle merchants and butchers need to know the symptoms and signs of this disease so that they can immediately alert the veterinary authorities, he added.
He emphasized the need to mount surveillance in slaughter slabs, abattoirs, livestock markets, and at the point of entry in the state to detect the disease early before it spreads.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Ibironke Emokpae, appreciated FMARD for its support in curtailing the spread of the disease in the state, saying, “Vaccinations have begun in the state, and we have set up surveillance and biosecurity at point of the entire of abattoirs in Lagos to detect any ailing animal.
“We are collaborating with the Lagos Ministry of Health and promise to put in more efforts to prevent the spread of the disease,”
Mrs Emokpae further revealed that “Lagos State has developed a house-to-house vaccination campaign because it is an urban area where some people do urban farming. Lagos State is taking the vaccination campaign to urban livestock farmers’’.
While on a sensitisation visit to the Oko-Oba cattle market and abattoir in Agege, the Chairman Miyetti Allah Cattle Association, Mr Abdullahi Lalega, pledged the commitment of the Cattle Merchants and Butchers towards the fight against the disease.
He affirmed that they were aware of the disease and would ensure adherence to safety measures, promising to give all necessary support to ensure that the disease is curtailed.
On his part, the FAO Country Team Leader, Dr Otto Muhinda, commended the state government for its initiatives in creating awareness of the disease and prevention measures.
He added that “We have seen that the awareness is very high; we appreciate the way the people, local authorities, butchers, and the cattle merchants are aware of this outbreak.”
“We look forward to continuing the monitoring in other states, and we need to sensitize more stakeholders on the national level for a national strategy to stop the spread of the disease.’’
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
As part of its efforts to safeguard public health in Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has strengthened its regulatory framework for blood and blood products.
A statement signed on Thursday by the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed that to achieve its goal, the agency will collaborate with relevant authorities and stakeholders to establish a robust regulatory framework that promotes the availability of safe, quality-assured and efficacious blood and blood products, while strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
NAFDAC said it intends to partner with government institutions, healthcare providers, blood establishments, development partners and other stakeholders for the robust oversight.
Mrs Adeyeye disclosed that already, her organisation has received the support of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate.
According to her, NAFDAC has been given the mandate to regulate blood and blood products in line with global best practices and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation that these products be subject to oversight by National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) for medicines.
She said blood and blood products are classified as essential medicines and must be consistently available with assured quality, safety and affordability, stressing that the aim is to protect patients throughout the blood transfusion chain.
Effective regulatory oversight will support the quality and safety of blood products from donor assessment and collection through testing, processing, storage, transportation and use, the NAFDAC chief noted.
Several African countries, including Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Senegal and Rwanda, have already established regulatory oversight of blood and blood products by their NRAS, she added.
Mrs Adeyeye pointed out that NAFDAC’s renewed regulatory preparedness builds on its broader transformation into a modern, science-based regulatory authority.
Already, it has attained WHO Maturity Level 3, completed WHO Global Benchmarking ML3 re-assessment, obtained WHO prequalification for its drug laboratory, and established internationally accredited laboratory and quality management systems. These capabilities provide a strong foundation for the effective regulation of blood and blood products.
As part of its preparedness, NAFDAC has established a dedicated Vaccines, Biologicals and Medical Devices Registration and Regulation Directorate to oversee the registration and regulation of these products.
The agency established a Vaccines, Biologicals and Medical Devices Laboratory Services many years ago, but became a Directorate in 2024, responsible for quality control, including laboratory testing and lot release, while the Directorate of Evaluation and Research provides oversight of Good Manufacturing Practices. An ultra-modern laboratory facility is also being developed to further strengthen its capacity for the assessment and quality control of vaccines and biologics.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An organisation known as GoMed Nigeria is offering free reproductive health services to Nigerian students through a digital self-care platform.
This is being delivered through a partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Lagos State Government.
The pilot scheme will be available to students of the University of Lagos. They will enjoy easier and more private access to essential health products, accurate information, and professional support.
Young Nigerians face some of the highest rates of unintended pregnancy and unmet need for contraception in the world.
Cost, distance, stigma, misinformation, and fears about confidentiality routinely stop students from seeking the products and guidance they need, with consequences that include unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted infections and interrupted education.
The self-care platform is designed to remove each of these barriers. Through the platform, students receive free contraceptives and other sexual and reproductive health commodities provided through the Lagos State Ministry of Health and UNFPA, exclusive discounts on health essentials, and fast, discreet delivery directly to campus and student hostels.
Students can also access trusted sexual and reproductive health information and services through UNFPA’s SoftLife 247 and U-Plan platforms. Through U-PLAN, they can chat directly with qualified Family Planning Service Providers to receive accurate information and address their concerns. They can also confidently engage with GoMed’s registered pharmacists for confidential, judgement-free guidance on medicines and other health products.
“Students should be able to get reliable health information and essential products without cost, distance or fear of judgement becoming barriers.
“This platform brings free sexual and reproductive health commodities, other affordable health products and professional guidance together, with discreet delivery directly to students on campus,” the chief executive of GoMed Nigeria, Mr Anthony Edeki, said.
Also speaking, UNFPA in Nigeria Resident Representative, Muriel Mafico, said, “As the UN agency mandated for “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights”, we are committed to reducing preventable maternal deaths and addressing the unmet need for family planning, including by providing and overseeing access to life-saving commodities worldwide.
“Working alongside our partners, we’re helping roll out the digital Self-Care Platform—so that vital, life-changing information can reach more people, more easily. Together, we want to empower Nigeria’s next generation to make informed health choices and achieve stronger health outcomes and a brighter future.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A financing framework to accelerate the electrification of health facilities nationwide has been approved by the federal government.
The approval was announced at the third meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a presidential programme jointly coordinated by the Federal Ministries of Power and Health and Social Welfare.
The committee was constituted to ensure reliable electricity in at least 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities by the end of 2027.
At the meeting, chaired by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Mr Isiaq Salako, and co-chaired by the Minister of Power, Mr Joseph Tegbe, members of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) presented the recommendations under consideration.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Salako said the Steering Committee approved a financing framework to mobilise investment for healthcare electrification, alongside a facility energy management framework requiring participating hospitals to build sustainable systems for managing their energy infrastructure.
He said the committee also cleared eight (8) private sector proposals for further engagement, drawn from about 70 submissions received during the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Week in Lagos.
The Health Minister added that Energy Management Teams are already in place at federal tertiary hospitals, with state governments being encouraged to set up similar structures. The initiative will now be institutionalised through dedicated budgetary provisions and a full-time Project Coordination Unit to oversee implementation.
On his part, Mr Tegbe declared that the initiative must now move from announcements to actual project delivery.
Describing the NPHI as one of the President Bola Tinubu administration’s flagship programmes, he said the emphasis should shift towards commissioning completed projects that Nigerians can see for themselves, rather than further groundbreaking ceremonies and public messaging.
He emphasised the need for teaching hospitals, state hospitals, and primary healthcare centres to be fully energised, noting that the Rural Electrification Agency has already energised 5 Federal Teaching Hospitals and several other health facilities nationwide.
He also tied the initiative directly to patient outcomes, arguing that dependable power would end hospitals’ reliance on emergency generators, and pledged that the Ministry would continue to prioritise the initiative’s funding needs while ensuring value for money.
